JULY 2009

Talks to build 2nd subway line advanced

It will cost around US $790 million

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The Transit Reform Office (OPRET) director revealed on Tuesday that negotiations with international companies to build Santo Domingo’s second subway line are advanced.

Diandino Peña said the first stage of the Metro’s second line will span the 15 kilometers between Maximo Gomez avenue in the capital, to the subdivision Los Alcarrizos, in Santo Domingo West, and will cost around US $790 million spent by the private sector.

He said the companies, which he didn’t identify, have expressed an interest to build all three stages; the second from Maximo Gomez to the Santo Domingo East town San Isidro, and the third from Los Alcarrizos to north central city Santiago.

Peña said the company which will build the Metro lines will manage them, to guarantee the return on their investment. We’re very advanced in the contracts and within 16 days we’ll know if the companies’ tenders are feasible, we’ll then send the contracts to Congress and announce when the works begin. The companies have said they don’t mind starting the work while the process in Congress concludes.

The OPRET chief made the announcement during a meeting of representatives from the Latin American Metros and Subways Association.

Dominican Today, 01.07.09

Public Works to build north-south tunnel downtown

The Subway of Santo Domingo on the same level as the best of the world

According to foreign technicians

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO. - Technicians of the Latin-American Association of the Subways and Undergrounds (Alamys) carried out this Thursday a course of inspection in order to supervise the technology and the environment of the Subway of Santo Domingo.

The course started at the Central de los Héroes station and finished to Máximo Gómez. Technicians of Portugal, Spain and Ecuador took part of this control.

In each station, the foreign technicians received explanations on the functions of the Subway by Dominican engineers who direct this last and who were trained by the personnel of the Subway of Madrid.

While taking part in this course, the sub-manager of the Office for the Reorganization of the Terrestrial Transport (OPRET), engineer Leonel Carrasco, stressed that the Subway of Santo Domingo was directed by trained Dominican personnel.

On his side, Aurelio Rojo, vice-president of Alamys and assistant director of the Subway of Madrid, emphasized the good impression which the Subway of Santo Domingo gives, after having underlined the training and the capacity of the Dominican technicians at the time of the explanations relative to this important new transport.

He said that the Subway of Santo Domingo was on the same level as the bests in the world, and that it was well maintained and well managed.

During the course, the specialists visited the sector of the Control Unit as well as the Parking Lane, used for the maintenance of the trains and the Technical District, which is defined as the « brain » where the Subway of Santo Domingo is managed.

Santo Domingo Live, 03.07.09

The Environment Ministry inaugurates a photographic exhibition

On the topic of the biodiversity

BREAKING NEWS: The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources inaugurated this Friday a photographic exhibition on the Dominican biodiversity in the Park of Independence.

The exhibition of 100 photographs reveals the unique treasures of the flora, the fauna and the ecosystems of the country.

The activity seeks to draw the attention on the importance to preserve the ecosystems and the living species.

In the world, the subject of the biodiversity is governed by the Convention on the Biological Diversity, which includes the Dominican Republic.

The inauguration was chaired by the secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, Jaime David Fernández Mirabal; Domingo Contreras, general secretary of the Town council of the National District; Eleuterio Martínez, sub-secretary of the Protected Sectors and Amarilis Polonia, director of Biodiversity, among others.

The exhibition of the images of Miguel Ángel Landestoy, Jose Alejandro Álvarez and Ricardo Briones, had been presented from the end of May in the the Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago.

Amarilis Polonia said that the Dominican Republic has important resources of biodiversity; this is why she exposed the importance to protect them.

In the same way, Eleuterio Martínez, sub-secretary of the Protected Sectors said that the exhibition joined together history, nature and art, key elements for the development of our people.

We want to show to the world the wealth which we have in the country, the Secretariat of Environment assumed its role to take care on natural resources.The natural wealth of the country is what makes us Dominicans he added.

Domingo Contreras also said that it was necessary to become aware of the importance to take care on the natural resources of the country.

The annual cost because of the invasions of exotic species was estimated at hundreds billion dollars and includes losses in the cultures, the pastures and the forests, as well as environmental damage, and the losses of markets of agricultural products.

Santo Domingo Live, 06.07.09

The Government starts work of « Corredor Duarte »

From Los Alcarrizos to Charles de Gaulle Avenue

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- Leonel Fernández will direct tomorrow the formal act of the beginning of the building work of the Corredor Duarte, project which generates an investment of 163 million dollars and which will be carried out in 30 months.

The Secretariat of Public Works informed that for this reason, the section of John F. Kennedy Avenue between Jose Núñez Cáceres and Doctor Defilló, will be completely closed from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, East-West direction, but that the other ways will remain open to the public.

The Corredor Duarte will extend from Los Alcarrizos to the Charles de Gaulle Avenue and will include the construction of six important overpasses, five in the National District and one in the province of Santo Domingo.

The resources for the construction of these infrastructures come from a loan secured through the National Bank of Economic and Social Unfolding of Brazil (BNDES).

The Secretariat of Public Works underlined the importance of the project for the development of the National District sector and of the province of Santo Domingo, because it will represent time and money-savings for those who will use these ways.

One estimates that only on the John F. Kennedy Avenue, more than 800.000 vehicles circulate daily.

Public Works and the companies in charge of the project promise to duly signpost the places where they carry out work, to avoid accidents and disadvantages for the population, and to allow the flow of the vehicles.

Santo Domingo Live, 07.07.09

Noise contamination prevails in Santo Domingo

1000 loudspeakers seized nationwide over two month period

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- Noise contamination levels in the National District have been hitting between 75 and 85 Db over the last two months. This is above the recommended levels and damaging to the population and the environment.

This information was offered by the assistant prosecutor for environmental affairs, Jose Espinal Beato, who assured reporters that the rules specify 65 Db during the day and 55 Db at night.

But in the areas where there are schools, hospitals and housing, the noise levels should not pass 45 decibels during the day and 50 at night. The official pointed out that the authorities are applying sanctions to those who violate the established rules and regulations.

We are doing sweeps as technicians from the Ministry of the Environment and we have come to realize the high noise levels explained Espinal Beato.

At the same time, the environmental prosecutor explained that together with the Ministry of the Environment and the department that he leads, they have seized 700 apparatus with over 1000 speakers that vary in size from 10 to 12 inches as well as other music equipment, from all over the country.

To hear Espinal Beato tell it, the operations were carried out in colmadones and liquor stores in the National District, as well as in similar places in the province of Santo Domingo, and in San Francisco de Macoris, Santiago, San Cristobal, San Juan and other provinces.

Espinal Beato said that the more than 200 owners of the equipment have received fines from the administration that total more than RD $1,500,000.

Also in the sights of the noise detectives are the so-called disco-lights.

Diario Libre, 08.07.09

The drivers of public transport are satisfied with Corredor Duarte

Time and fuel-saving

BREAKING NEWS: Drivers of the various services which circulate daily by John F. Kennedy Avenue expressed their satisfaction for the started work of Corredor Duarte this Wednesday.

The drivers of buses, of mini buses, collective taxis and private vehicles underlined the importance of the infrastructures which will belong to Corredor Duarte and affirmed that it would help a lot with traffic circulation in addition to save fuel.

This project concerning the public highway and elaborated to solve the traffic problems of the principal intersections of the National District, was started during the first Government of President Leonel Fernández.

From the past week, we can observe workers of Constructora JF. J Fortuna, S.A at the intersection of the Kennedy Avenue with Núñez de Cáceres, company which was contracted for the work.

For the completion of the Corredor Duarte work, the Dominican government signed a contract of financing for 48 million dollars through the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) of Brazil.

Santo Domingo Live, 09.07.09

Zelaya asks the Dominican President to be his spokesman

Leonel Fernandez, an ideal mediator

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- Honduras president Manuel Zelaya arrived in the National Palace at 9:05 a.m. Friday, where his Dominican par Leonel Fernandez received him with full military honors.

Zelaya, in a brief telephone interview on Z-101 FM radio fefore arriving in the National Palace, said he’ll ask Fernandez to be his spokesman and state his position on the coup, in the Summit of Non-Allied Countries in Egypt.

He said in yesterday’s meeting in San José, Costa Rica with the mediation of president Oscar Arias, he didn’t want to speak face to face with the coup leaders. He added for him to return the coup’s participants must leave power.

Military honors

To the cheers and applause of more than 100 Government employees gathered the Palace esplanade, the two leaders reviewed the Dominican Presidential Guard in parade uniform for the occasion.

The Presidency’s press office has yet to release Zelaya’s agenda in the country, and if the surprise meeting would delay Fernandez’s departure to the Middle East, to take part in the Summit of Non-Aligned Nations in Egypt and an official visit to Israel.

In July, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested that Fernandez would be an ideal mediator in regional disputes, for which today encounter may lead to intensifying the diplomatic wrangling aimed at reinstating Zelaya in Honduras.

Dominican Today, 10.07.09

27 de Febrero overpasses closed

In both directions

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The Ministry of Public Works has announced that the overpasses on Avenida 27 de Febrero will be closed from 10 to 6pm, for 20 nights, for repairs and repaving.

The express roadway will be closed in both directions.

Minister of Public Works Victor Diaz Rua explains that the joints of the highway ramp will be resealed.

DR1, 13.07.09

Duarte Corridor loan package goes to Congress

The credit was negotiated with the BNDES of Brazil and the SEOPC will carry it out

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The Executive Branch sent to the Congress, by way of the Senate, the loan contract for US $48,843, 918.40 that was negotiated with the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) for the construction of the Duarte Corridor.

The contract for the design and construction of the Duarte Corridor was signed by the Norberto Odebrecht Construction Co.

The design calls for overpasses over the Monumental Avenue, the Manoguayabo highway, the Nuñez de Caceres intersection with John F. Kennedy, Dr. Defillo with John F. Kennedy, as well as overpasses and a tunnel that involve Ortega y Gasset and 27 de Febrero and the San Isidro Highway and Charles De Gaulle Avenue.

The project will be carried out by the Public Works Ministry, according to the accompanying letter that President Leonel Fernandez sent with the contract to the Congress.

The credit will be used exclusively to finance 100% of the value of the materials, equipment and services that will be acquired for the building project. There is a 21 month time limit for the use of the funds, beginning with the date the contract with BNDES is approved.

The interest rate that will be applied to the credit is rate applied in London for loans or interbank financing (Libor) for 60 months, according to the letter.

Diario Libre, 14.07.09

Assembly ratifies presidential powers

Judicial reform on the table for today’s session

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The National Revisory Assembly for the Constitution ratified article 108 that refers to the attributions of the President of the Republic.

These attributions are currently contained in Article 55 of the present Constitution. Among these responsibilities are power to conduct both interior and foreign policy, control the civil and military administrations and command the military as supreme commander of the Armed Forces and the National Police and all security forces.

The assembly members approved the report worked out by the commission that was headed by Luis Jose Gonzalez Sanchez, but they modified it is several parts. The Assembly did not approve the ability of the President to annul by decree the taxes established by the municipalities when these affect inter-city commerce or transit, the national tax system or are manifestly unreasonable.

This attribute was left to the courts, when last week the Regulations for Municipalities were approved.

An important aspect that was included was that the President of the Republic can sign contracts, submitting them to the Congress, when they have dispositions relative to affecting the national income, the transference of property assets or for taking out loans or when they stipulate exonerations from taxes in general in accord with the Constitution. The maximum amount for these contracts or exemptions that can be signed by the President without congressional approval is 200 minimum salaries. (Anywhere from RD $1.1 million to RD $1.6 million depending on which minimum salary is used for calculation.)

Currently, any contract that surpasses RD $20,000 has to be ratified by the Congress.

At the request of assembly member Pelegrin Castillo, numerals 16 and 20 of the present Constitution were preserved. These deal with the power of the President to order the arrest or expulsion of foreigners whose activities, in his judgment, were or could become prejudicial to public order or good behavior and prohibit when he feels it is convenient to the public interest, the entry of foreigners into the national territory.
The commission that is studying the issue of the Judicial Power will meet tomorrow at 9:00 o’clock in the morning with the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and other officials of the judicial sector. At 11:00 a.m. the commission will meet with members of the civil society.

Diario Libre, 15.07.09

The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo needs transformations

172 thousand students, 2.700 professors and 14 regional centers

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO. – The student’s population, the complexity of the academy and the existence of 14 regional centers obliges the UASD to change from a metropolitan university to a national university.

The reform process which was started last March in the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) wants to transform the oldest academy of America in a subsystem of the Dominican High Education.

The process, which includes the revision of the Organic Staff Regulations and the academic and administrative processes, is carried out through forums and discussions with participation of the academics and aims at identifying weaknesses and at proposing solutions.

As explained by the UASD state superintendent of education, Franklin García Fermín, the process answers the need for modernizing the university and to be adapted to new times. And also works on the lacks which were identified by an evaluation ordered by the secretariat of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Seescyt).

The reform has for model the academic, administrative and financial system of other recognized Latin-American universities: the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). The three universities are the largest in the area.

Even if he did not specify when the new programs would come into effect, the superintendent García Fermín said that it act of a complex process, which will imply a lot of years.

The process proposes the decentralization of the academic structures of the UASD, including 14 regional centers with an aim to accelerate and to release decision making.

In this order, García Fermín explained that each regional centre would transform itself into an enclosure of the UASD and that each director would assume the role of superintendent of education, with a president on the campus of each seat.

Santo Domingo Live, 16.07.09

Number of deputies increased from 178 to 190

More legislators

BREAKING NEWS: The Revisory Assembly for the Constitution has increased the number of deputies from 178 to 190, rejecting a proposal from the President that sought to establish a minimum of 175 and a maximum of 250 deputies.

According to what was approved, 178 deputies will be elected by the territorial districts in representation of the National District and the provinces; five (deputies) at the national level for accumulation of votes, preferably from parties or alliances or coalitions that would not have won seats and that have obtained at least one percent (1%) of the popular vote and seven (deputies) in representation of overseas Dominicans.

The assembly members also gave their blessing to article 68 that allows the Senate of the Republic to elect the members of the Chamber of Accounts from candidates submitted by the Chamber of Deputies, taking this task away from the President.

Diario Libre reports that among the attributions of the Senate, the Assembly also approved the ability to authorize, after a request from the President of the Republic and in the absence of conventions that permit it, the presence of foreign troops in the Republic’s territory for military exercises, determining the length of their stay; as well as approving or disapproving the dispatch of troops overseas on peace missions authorized by international organizations.

Also new was the approval of Numeral 16, which would put an end to the limbo into which much of the legislation approved by the Congress falls. The numeral reads: Once the Constitution deadline for the promulgation and publication of the laws passed by the Congress has expired, the legislation will be considered to be promulgated and the president of the Chamber that has sent the bill to the President will publish the law.

The legislators rejected a motion that would oblige them to reveal their accounts publicly, on the grounds that they do not handle public funds. The legislators in effect have refused to be accountable for resources assigned to them.

DR1, 17.07.09

Amet and the municipal council will improve the traffic

Joint actions

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo. -The Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) and the municipality of the commune of East Santo Domingo (ASDE) will launch joint actions to improve the conditions and the safety of the traffic in this demarcation.

The program was agreed between the director of AMET, General Rafael Oscar Bencosme Candelier, and the mayor of ASDE, Juan de los Santos, during a meeting held at the headquarters of the governing body of transit, where they decided to make joint efforts to face the chaos which is recorded in the main streets and the avenues of the Eastern commune.

Both institutions formed two working committees to assess the most urgent problems.

General Bencosme Candelier stressed that the AMET had already first experience of joint work with ASDE which was successful and which led to the saving of more than two hours in the traffic time from and to East Santo Domingo, this thanks to the double way on the Juan Bosch Gate.

Santo Domingo Live, 20.07.09

Intervention of the OTTT in El Cruce de Ocoa bus stop

Conflict with the drivers

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo. – The bus terminal El Cruce de Ocoa has been for early this morning under police surveillance, among them anti-mutiny members, after the Technical Office of the Terrestrial Transport (OTTT) intervenes in the terminal to dissolve the conflict generated by the owners and the National Federation of Transport the New Option (Fenatrano) for the control of the official routes.

Although the OTTT guaranteed that the service would be normally maintained for the users, since the first hours of this morning the passengers who traveled by this stop to go to San Juan de la Maguana, El Cercado, Elías Piña, Hondo Valle, Sabaneta, Majagual Arriba and Vallejuelo, face difficulties to go up aboard buses.

To solve the conflict which lasted for several days between the owners of the bus terminal and Fenatrano, the OTTT decided to intervene with the promise to give back report within 45 days.

Santo Domingo Live, 21.07.09

Birth of three lion cubs to the Zoological Garden

Under the good care of the professionals

BREAKING NEWS: Santo Domingo. – Three lion’s babies make from now on part of the fauna of the National Zoological Park (Zoodom).

The small felines were born this week following the work of the reproduction program for the conservation of the species which is developed by Zoodom.

The birth of the three lion cubs took place under the attentive care of professionals in biology and of the veterinary surgeon who is also the director of Zoodom, Doctor Patricia Toribio.

The three small lions and the three small Bengal tigers (Alba, Canela and Rayas), in addition to other cubs coming from breeding from various species lately born in Zoodom, are in perfect health condition.

Santo Domingo Live, 22.07.09

Three aqueducts out of order because of the rains

In the National District and the Province of Santo Domingo

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO. - Several sectors of the National District and the province of Santo Domingo could be without water during the next days because the systems Haina-Manoguayabo, Duey-Guananitos and Isa-Mana are out of order.

The suspension of these water provider systems is due to the rains caused by the tropical wave which affected almost all the national territory, as explained by the managing director of the Corporation of the Aqueducts and Sewers of Santo Domingo (CAASD).

Ramón Rivas specified that the leading cause of the systems out-of-order was due to the rising of the rivers which supply them.

However, the civil servant ensured that he informed the department of Water Distribution and the Sub-Management of the Community Affairs, to be ready to carry out extraordinary operations of water distribution in the sectors which could be affected because of the temporary out-of-order of these systems and to go guarantee that the health centers do not miss water.

The civil servant stressed that the CAASD, since June 1rst at the beginning of the hurricane season, was vigilant as for the atmospheric phenomena like this one, thanks to special technicians and workmen team having the training to act before, during and after each event.

If the rains persist, the systems could not be operational immediately, since, in addition to the fact that water has a great turbidity, the dams will have to be released from the waste pulled by the rising of the rivers.

Santo Domingo Live, 23.07.09

The arrival of the visitors by cruise ships boosts the tourism

Through the Santo Domingo port

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO. - With the arrival of 80.000 cruise ships’passengers to Dominican Republic through the port of Santo Domingo during the cruising season 2008-2009, the Capital benefited from an increase in the tourist activity, with positive impacts on the hotel, commercial, bars, restaurants and transport sectors.

During a meeting with representatives of the tourist sector of the city, authorities and media, Luis Molina, executive director of the Sans Souci terminal underlined that with the 43 ships which arrived to the port, Santo Domingo had been able to check its capacity and its effectiveness to manage this cruising activity with world class standards.

Among the achievements of the season, there were the inauguration of the new terminal, the arrival on five occasions of two ships in a simultaneous way and an international recognition delivered by the Dreams review as being the best port.

Molina revealed that in accordance with the exercise and with the evolution of the cruising activity, the projections for the next season which will start in October of this year and will finish in April 2010, estimate that roughly 150.000 tourists will arrive to the country on board of 80 ships.

Santo Domingo Live, 24.07.09

The CAASD of Santo Domingo works on the Duey reservoir

Partial water service

BREAKING NEWS: The system of Duey is again in service in a partial way and allows water provision of several sectors which depend on it, thanks to repair of a part of the dam.

This information was revealed by the director of the Corporation of the Aqueduct and of the Sewers of Santo Domingo (CAASD), engineer Ramón Rivas, who also stressed that the system of Isa-Mana operates now in a normal way.

Engineer Rivas stressed that on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning, the sectors which are supplied by the Duey system had water following the work of cleaning which was carried out on the dam.

Although water providing from the river is partial, the CAASD offers the service in a sector way, an operation which allows that practically all the sectors are supplied but not at the same time. During the process of cleaning of the system, the water provision will take place in an intermittent way, since some of the tasks affect directly the dam.

The managing director of the CAASD informed that the damage on the Duey was estimated at roughly 30 million pesos.

The basins of the rivers which supply the systems of Haina-Manoguayabo, Duey-Guananitos and of Isa-Mana were damaged by the strong rains caused by the tropical wave which affected almost all the national territory.

Santo Domingo Live, 27.07.09

CAASD complains of sabotage in Duey

Speculations with water sales

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The director of the Santo Domingo Water and Sewer Corporation (CAASD), Ramon Rivas said that yesterday afternoon his men found signs of sabotage in the line of the Duey System, near Kilometer 22 of the Duarte Highway.

He said that the Lock Joint pipe show signs of being struck with a hammer and chisel.

The Caasd director said that, because of the sabotage, his technicians proceeded at once to close off the intake valve of the Duey in order to lower the pressure and be able to repair the damage.

He said that there is no doubt in his mind that this was an attempt to sabotage, since the Lock Joint pipe clearly shows the signs of the chisel marks.

Precarious service

On the other hand, water service still has not been restored to the majority of barrios that are supplied by the Duey System which was affected by the flood waters last week.

Neighbors of the barrios of Peralejos, Los Angeles, Girasoles, Savica, Las Mercedes and others, say that they are desperate for water.
Moreover, they say that they feel cheated by people who sell water by the barrel, that are speculating with the sales, according to their complaints.

Diario Libre, 28.07.09

Dominican Government looks to dialogue as protests spread

Fernandez orders projects for San Cristobal and El Seibo

The President convened officials for a new meeting this Monday

BREAKING NEWS: SANTO DOMINGO.- The government will invest RD $1,785,277,649 over the next months in the provinces of San Cristobal and El Seibo. This will satisfy some of the commitments made in these areas during the Popular Dialogues that were headed by President Leonel Fernandez.

The announcement by the Presidential Press Office came just hours after the end of a meeting between the chief of state and 21 officials responsible for executing the promised infrastructure projects that were discussed in four meetings held in the two provinces as well as in Samana and San Pedro de Macoris.

According to the statement, in the meeting the Chief Executive asked the officials to speed up the work on the construction and repair of projects all over the national territory, so that the communities feel that the Government is fulfilling the promises made.

Among these projects are highways, housing, schools, rural roadways, sports venues, baseball stadiums, water treatment plants, street repairs and mobile economic kitchens.

Diario Libre, el 30.07.09